NEW YORK -- Portland's Kara Goucher had the fastest-ever marathon debut for a U.S. woman, finishing in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 53 seconds to take third place in New York City on Sunday morning.

Goucher, who trains with Alberto Salazar, became the first U.S. woman to make the podium since Anne Marie Letko was third in 1994.

Paula Radcliffe defended her title to become the second woman to win the race three times. Unlike her tight victories in 2004 and '07, the world record holder from Great Britain pulled away from Ludmila Petrova in the 22nd mile to win comfortably in an unofficial time of 2:23:55.

The 40-year-old Russian was second. That made her the oldest woman to finish in the top two since Priscilla Welch of Great Britain won in 1987 at the age of 42.